Alicia Keys - The Element Of Freedom (2 LP)
- LP
- 2 piece(s)
- 2009
- 14 tracks
- 53 min
- r&b
The Element Of FreedomCheapest atnewburycomics.com
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4.2
Average of 6 reviews
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I must say, I was let down by quite a few pops between C1-C2 and a couple scattered on side D upon first listen. Apart from that, the sound is gorgeous and the tracks are fantastic. But those pops really took away from my enjoyment. Giving it a weak 4/5 since I'd still purchase it and it's an incredible album. Great to see Mint copies popping up again after all these years.
This album is absolutely amazing! The sound quality is crystal clear, rich, and vibrant. The lilac color, the cover art, and the overall presentation are just stunning. I'm thrilled with this record; it's easily one of the top in my collection. Funny enough, this is the first Alicia Keys album I've ever listened to. Back in 2009, I stumbled upon the cover art and was blown away. "This looks gorgeous! I bet it sounds just as beautiful!" I thought to myself, so I gave the whole album a listen. In my opinion, this is Alicia at her best. This album truly deserved to be released in such a beautiful format, so kudos to everyone involved in this project!
There's a few crackles now and then, but apart from that, the sound is great. I'm really digging the color of the discs; it matches the album just right.
The tunes on this album are fantastic – there's a brilliant review about the music here; it's another amazing Alicia Keys release. The record's color is truly lovely, but I do have a couple of concerns. First, I wish it came with a gatefold, just like "As I Am" – another double album by AK in a single sleeve. My "As I AM" copy arrived warped, so I'm relieved this one isn't. Second, I noticed the sound on D2, "How It Feels to Fly," is a bit compressed. I was really excited to hear the mass choir on vinyl. The same issue occurs on A4 and B3, where the tracks lose their clarity as they go on. Overall, the dynamics could be much better, especially since, at the time of this review, we have the album in Spatial Audio on Apple Music. I hope they release a repress soon.
Among all the Alicia Keys albums I've listened to in my life ("Here", "Alicia", and "Keys"), "Element of Freedom" stands out as my top pick so far. Released in the same year I started listening to Jeff Bhasker through The Throne, Bhasker brings his signature dark synths to the table, making them a key component in Alicia Keys' award-winning mix of personal ballads with universal inspiration. As for the other half of The Renegades in The Throne, Eminem was on heavy rotation for me in the late 2000s, and I could swear that the GOD MC borrowed the idea of soaring through a city with superhero swagger for "Not Afraid" from this album's deep cut - "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart". For a track like "...Broken Heart", it's not supposed to be a hit single in the same way Elton John's "Somebody Saved My Life Tonight" is - the melancholic lyrics, the unusual extended bridge - "...Broken Heart" shares more similarities than differences with John's masterpiece since "Sacrifice". In fact, the first time I heard the song was a stripped-down version that AK claimed was a performance of B-sides, but "...Broken Heart" has become a stadium anthem for anyone smart enough to craft a satisfying setlist. The moment the distorted horns kick in, the entire atmosphere shifts from the record to your surroundings. That's a rare record, but AK makes that kind of magic common on "Element of Freedom". Take the Drake-penned (Drake writes? Could've fooled me) "Unthinkable". The 40/40 instrumental sounds like a leftover from "So Far Gone", like an alternative "Houstonlantavegas". Thing is, if Drake had tried to sell this track on his own, it would have ended up either on the cutting room floor or as an overlooked album cut buried in a tape full of contenders for monstrous single of the year. But Alicia transforms Drake's rough draft into a classic gem, to the point where questions about Alicia's penmanship don't even matter because she's one of the rare artists who openly admits to and credits her collaborators. Having a room full of writers is a faux pas that can be overlooked here and throughout this album because Alicia does her job - which is to put an angelic voice over whatever words are put in front of her on the prompter. "That's How Strong My Love Is" is the most baroque the album gets, while "Like The Sea" sounds like Alicia summoned her own Motown quartet and brought them into the era of 2000s dark pop when Keri Hilson and Ciara ruled the charts. "Wait Til You See My Smile" and "Distance And Time" are solid supporting ballads, and I would kill for a version of "Put It In A Love Song" without Beyonce. That Swizz Beatz instrumental is leagues ahead of what he was doing on "The S. Carter" series when he had Mariah in the booth. Though I always prefer Swizz' menacing woodwinds, the tambourine here would serve as the perfect lapdance-inducing ritual. And speaking of S. Carter, the album isn't complete without "Empire State of Mind Pt. II", which is the perfect companion piece to Jay-Z's greatest series - The Blueprint Trilogy. Alicia Keys stepped up to the plate here and hit a home run with "Element of Freedom", which I believe she should have named "The Sound of Freedom" because even she said on her B-Sides performance that "the title makes the album feel small", but "Element" is anything but that - packed with stadium-ready tracks and replayability, despite the obligatory slow moments expected on a soul record. This isn't Alicia baring her soul at its most raw, though. "Element" is the most depressed Alicia balancing the dark with the most effects Alicia could use to make a pop record, like GAGA in "Chromatica" or Kanye's "808s and Heartbreak". "Element..." is "radio-ready" Alicia at her finest, and songs like "...Broken Heart" and "Unthinkable" make the record a must-spin - over and over again.
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| Date | Lowest price | Average price |
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| Apr 30, 2025 | $29.98 | €29.98 |
| May 8, 2025 | $29.98 | €29.98 |
| Jul 31, 2025 | $29.98 | €32.48 |
| Aug 26, 2025 | $29.98 | €34.99 |
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| Oct 31, 2025 | $29.98 | €34.99 |
| Nov 30, 2025 | $29.98 | €34.99 |
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| Jan 31, 2026 | $34.99 | €38.32 |
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| Mar 8, 2026 | $34.99 | €38.32 |